Tyler Perry received the People’s Champion Award at the 2020 E! People’s Choice Awards on Sunday for his work in entertainment and charitable organizations, among others.
With so many people hurting in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the writer, director, producer and actor delivered a heartwarming speech where he encouraged everyone ‘to keep digging’ towards their dreams.
‘I’m so inspired and moved by this moment. I’m grateful,’ the Hollywood mogul began live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, while surrounded by video screens of people watching at home.
Honored: Tyler Perry received the People’s Champion Award at the E! People’s Choice Awards on Sunday in Santa Monica for his work in entertainment and charitable organizations
‘When I think about all these people, these underdogs, some former prisoners in jail for 20 years, one in jail for seven, they always inspire me,’ the 51-year-old said after he was surprised by his Tyler Perry Studios staff who appeared virtually before his speech.
Perry founded and opened TPS in Atlanta in 2006. And then moved the production studio to a 330-acre lot in the city, valued at $280 million, in 2019.
‘So when this pandemic hit I knew I needed to do all I could to make sure they could continue in this great place that they’re headed towards in their lives, in their marriages, businesses that they started for themselves, and their own companies and their houses, sending their kids to school,’ he continued.
Inspirational: The writer, director, producer and actor delivered a heartwarming speech where he encouraged everyone ‘to keep digging’ towards their dreams
Never give up on a dream: Perry referenced a story of when he hired an engineer to dig a water well at a home he had owned, and that had he given up he would have never found the water, which was just four more inches away
During his speech, Perry also recalled a story of how he paid an engineer to dig for water to create a water well at a home he owned about 18 years ago.
Despite several efforts, where the engineer came up empty-handed and Perry had all but given up hope, the Tyler Perry’s House of Payne star soldiered on and dug four more inches and struck water.
‘Why am I telling you this, why am I talking about digging for water? In this world, we’re all digging wells. In our lives, we’re digging wells. We’re digging wells in relationships, where we put all this time and effort and energy, and sometimes it doesn’t give us what we need,’ the Louisiana native explained before urging viewers to never give up on their dreams.
Keep digging: ‘You may be four inches away from every gift and every blessing that you ever wanted in your life,’ he said in an effort to inspire
‘We put all our time, energy and dreams in our business and it doesn’t give us what we need or what we were after. But if you just keep digging, my God if you could just hear me right now, just keep digging. You may be four inches away from every gift and every blessing that you ever wanted in your life.’
Perry went on to reference when he was homeless, sleeping in his car and hungry, and how if he let his dire circumstances stop him from pursuing his goals ‘these people that you see on this screen right now would not be a part of my dream.’
‘There are people who are tied into your dream and your destiny, and you are worthy of getting to your goal. Keep digging, don’t stop,” Perry shared.
Hollywood mogul: Perry founded and opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in 2006. And then moved the production studio to a 330-acre lot in the city, valued at $280 million, in 2019
“When you get there, when you get to that water and you see it coming and you know what you need, this is what I always want you to remember, make sure everybody that you run into meets you at your worth,’ he shared while looking straight into the camera.
Perry concluded by thanking all the people who voted for him to receive the award, and that he’s ‘really inspired, motivated and moved’ to keeping going.
‘Make sure people meet you at your worth,’ he reiterated.
The 2020 E! People’s Choice Awards was hosted by pop star Demi Lovato.
Energized: Perry concluded by thanking all the people who voted for him to receive the award, and that he’s ‘really inspired, motivated and moved’ to keeping going